The Clash Royale Knight is a 3 Elixir Common melee troop that players unlock in the Training Camp. It is a single-target troop with moderate Hitpoints and moderate Damage, making it a reliable and straightforward card in many decks. Though considered a “vanilla” card due to its simplicity, the Knight has gained increasing popularity in recent game updates. Players have recognized its strong defensive capabilities, which make it valuable for a variety of strategies.
One key advantage the Knight offers is its resistance to spells. With its relatively high hitpoint pool for its cost, the Knight is often immune to most spells, providing added utility in countering spell-heavy decks. This durability gives the Knight an edge over other similar troops like the Ice Golem, Lumberjack, Mini P.E.K.K.A, or Valkyrie, which serve different roles and lack the same level of spell resistance. In many scenarios, the Knight’s balance of defense and offense, combined with its versatility, makes it an excellent addition to a well-rounded deck.
Card Attributes
Default Slowing Effect Rage Effect Cost Hit Speed First Hit Speed Speed Deploy Time Range Target Count Transport Type Rarity 3 1.2 sec 0.5 sec Medium (60) 1 sec Melee: Medium (1.2) Ground x1 Ground Troop Common Level Hitpoints Damage Damage per secondCard Mastery
Type Level/Tier Objective RewardDamage Dealer 1 Deal a total of 77,500 Damage to enemy
Troops or buildings 200 Knight cards
25 2 Deal a total of 230,000 Damage to enemy
Troops or buildings 2,000
25 3 Deal a total of 385,000 Damage to enemy
Troops or buildings 150
25
Punching Bag 1 Receive a total of 2,800 hits from enemy Troops 3,000
100 2 Receive a total of 8,000 hits from enemy Troops 200
100 3 Receive a total of 14,000 hits from enemy Troops 5,000
100
Best Deck
Graveyard
Poison
Three Musketeers
Determining the single “best deck” in Clash Royale is challenging, as the meta is always evolving and different decks cater to various playstyles and skill levels. However, the Knight, especially in its evolved form, is a versatile card that fits well in several effective deck archetypes. It can be a powerful addition to decks centered around cycle strategies, Graveyard and Poison, and even Three Musketeers.
One popular deck suggestion for players using the evolved Knight in Arena 17 is Splashyard. However, players without access to the Graveyard card can explore other viable options. Some common deck archetypes include Miner Poison Ram Control, Barb Hut Graveyard Poison, Goblinstein Evo Cage Graveyard Poison, and 3M eBarbs Evo Knight Rage. These decks highlight the Knight’s ability to function in both defensive and offensive roles, often as a mini-tank or a defensive counter against swarms and tanks.
The Knight’s high usage rate on top ladders and its role as a “perfect all-rounder” card are commonly mentioned in discussions. Its cheap cost and versatility make it a reliable choice in many decks, both as a mini-tank and a defensive unit. Players can incorporate the evolved Knight into various strategies to bolster their deck’s defensive and offensive capabilities. The best deck will ultimately depend on personal playstyle and the meta at a given trophy range, but decks using the evolved Knight in cycle and tank-supporting roles are consistently popular and effective.
Basic Usage and Mechanics
The Knight is a 3 Elixir Common melee troop that players unlock in the Training Camp. It is often considered one of the most “vanilla” cards in Clash Royale due to its straightforward mechanics. With a medium movement speed, the Knight has undergone several changes to its attack speed over time. Initially, its hit speed was 1.1 seconds, later adjusted to 1.2 seconds, then 1.11 Hits Per Second, and eventually nerfed to 0.909 Hits Per Second for the Evolution. At tournament standard, the Knight has 1,399 health, a substantial hitpoint pool for its cost, which allows it to be immune to most spells, including powerful ones like Rocket and Lightning.
The Knight primarily serves as a defensive troop. Due to its high hitpoints and low Elixir cost, it also functions as a mini tank. Its durability makes it an excellent “Lightning rod” for protecting more fragile ranged units such as Musketeers and Electro Wizards from heavy spells. The Knight is effective at defensive staggering, as its high health and low cost enable it to stall or halt enemy pushes, buying time for towers and other defenses to inflict more damage. It excels at handling ranged support units, such as Electro Wizards, Musketeers, Archers, and Bombers, often neutralizing these threats without needing tower support.
While the Knight is a strong defensive option, it should not be relied upon as a primary win condition due to its slow speed and low damage output. Its hitpoint pool, though substantial for its cost, isn’t large enough to threaten towers significantly, and its low damage per hit means it won’t deal much tower damage quickly. The Knight is also ineffective against air units, as it is a melee troop and cannot target aerial threats. However, if ignored, the Knight can still deal considerable damage to a tower, taking about 40% of its health.
As the first card players are introduced to in the Tutorial Battle (Training Camp), the Knight is a simple yet valuable card. It excels primarily as a resilient and cost-effective defensive unit, able to absorb damage and handle ground-based threats efficiently.
Synergies
The Knight is a highly versatile card in Clash Royale, known for its synergy with a wide range of other cards. One of the most notable synergies is with Ice Spirit or Skeletons, creating an effective defensive combination. By pairing the Knight with either of these 1 Elixir cards, players can shut down powerful units like Elite Barbarians, even at higher levels, and completely counter a Minion Horde with Tower support.
This combo can also limit the damage of a Giant or Hog Rider to just a few hits or even none at all, leaving the Knight intact for a counter-push. Additionally, the combination of Knight, Ice Spirit, and Skeletons can effectively counter a Goblin Barrel or a Miner, providing solid defense for cycle decks.
Another strong synergy involves pairing the Knight with Goblins or Bats. While more expensive, this combination forms a sturdy defense and can handle many of the same threats that the Ice Spirit/Skeletons combo counters. The Knight acts as a cheap tank, allowing the fragile Goblins or Bats to deal significant damage. This synergy can also create a threatening offensive push, particularly when the opponent’s counters, such as the Log or Zap, are out of cycle. The Knight’s role as a tank allows these troops to do their damage safely. This concept also applies when pairing the Knight with Minions or Goblin Gang.
The Knight also works well with defensive buildings like the Cannon or Inferno Tower. In these synergies, the building focuses on the tank, while the Knight deals with or staggers the support troops. This combination is especially effective against beatdown pushes, helping to control the flow of the game.
Archers
Electro Wizard
For a more offensive approach, the Knight pairs effectively with Archers or Electro Wizard as part of a defensive-stagger strategy. When paired with ranged damage dealers, the Knight can create a significant damage output while also providing a solid defense. This synergy is effective against multi-layered pushes like a Giant Graveyard Poison push, where the Knight acts as a central defensive piece, while Archers and a building such as the Cannon target specific threats.
The Knight also serves as a reliable mini-tank in various deck archetypes that rely on win conditions like Mortar, X-Bow, or Three Musketeers. In these decks, the Knight protects the win condition and acts as a buffer against enemy attacks. For example, with Three Musketeers, the Knight can function as a Lightning rod, protecting the Musketeers from heavy spells and ensuring they remain a threat.
When paired with Hog Rider, Goblin Barrel, or Graveyard, the Knight can act as a tank for these win conditions, creating a dual-layered push that puts pressure on the opponent’s tower. This synergy makes it harder for the opponent to defend against both the tank and the win condition at the same time.
The Knight Evolution adds further flexibility, working well in various deck types. For example, a defensive deck featuring the Knight, Valkyrie, Bats, and Fireball provides solid protection, while an offensive deck with the Knight, Hog Rider, and Balloon focuses on aggressive pushes. In a cycle deck, the Knight pairs perfectly with X-Bow, Tesla, and Fireball for quick cycling and reliable defense.
Overall, the Knight’s adaptability makes it a powerful and flexible card, fitting into many different deck strategies and synergies, from defensive setups to aggressive offensive pushes. Its role as a mini-tank and its synergy with a wide range of cards allow it to be an essential part of many successful decks in Clash Royale.
Countering the Knight
To effectively counter the Knight in Clash Royale, players can utilize a variety of strategies that exploit its weaknesses and minimize its impact on the battlefield. One of the best ways to deal with the Knight is by using high-damage troops. Cards like Lumberjack, Prince, and Mini P.E.K.K.A. can quickly eliminate the Knight when placed correctly to ensure they target the Knight immediately. Pairing these troops with supporting spells like Zap or Log can further enhance their ability to deal with any additional support troops that may accompany the Knight.
Another effective strategy is to overwhelm the Knight with swarm troops. Cards like Bats, Goblin Gang, and Skeleton Army can surround the Knight and prevent it from dealing significant damage. The key to this tactic is timing, ensuring the swarm is deployed when the Knight is in range of your tower or other defenses. Using splash damage spells such as Fireball or Arrows can also help eliminate supporting troops and weaken the Knight further, making it easier to finish off.
Defensive buildings also work well against the Knight, as they can distract it and keep it from attacking your towers. Cards like Tesla, Cannon, and Inferno Tower can draw the Knight’s attention, allowing other troops or buildings to neutralize it effectively. Proper placement of these buildings is crucial for maximizing their effectiveness, especially when paired with supporting troops or spells.
The Knight performs well against many ranged support units such as Electro Wizard, Musketeer, Archers, and Bomber, easily shutting them down without needing tower support. However, the Knight struggles against units like Bowler and Witch, which can counter it due to their higher health or the ability to summon additional troops.
Skeleton Army
Goblin Gang
Against heavy swarms like Skeleton Army or Goblin Gang, the Knight can hold its own, especially when supported by your tower. It can also effectively counter Mini P.E.K.K.A. and Prince with the right support, such as 1 Elixir Skeletons or a tower aggro setup. The Knight is also capable of surviving a Sparky shot, thanks to its high health, and countering it with tower support.
When dealing with tanks, the Knight performs well against Valkyrie and Giant Skeleton due to its high health and ability to absorb damage. However, for building-targeting tanks like Giant or Royal Giant, it’s best to pair the Knight with an Ice Spirit or another cheap, high DPS unit to minimize damage. The Knight is not a suitable counter for Golem, as its low damage output is insufficient to deal with such a tank on its own.
For countering spawning troops like Miner and Goblin Barrel, the Knight excels due to its ability to take on the Miner 1v1 and its resistance to most spells. It’s also a solid counter to an unsupported Graveyard, especially when paired with spells like Log or Zap.
When facing the Evolved Knight, strategies shift slightly. Since the Evolved Knight has a slower hit speed, players can use Skeletons to stop its movement, reducing its effectiveness. Additionally, Monk may serve as a good counter due to its ability to deal with the Knight’s damage output, and Fisherman can also be an excellent choice for disrupting the Evolved Knight’s positioning.
In conclusion, successfully countering the Knight involves utilizing high-damage troops, overwhelming it with swarms, employing defensive buildings, and understanding its interactions with other cards. Against the Evolved Knight, halting its movement is key to minimizing its threat and neutralizing its impact on the battlefield.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Knight in Clash Royale is a versatile and reliable card that serves as a cost-effective defensive unit with a broad range of applications. It is widely regarded for offering good stats for its cost and remains a popular choice on top ladder, both in its base form and as the Evolved Knight.
The Knight excels at countering ground-based ranged support units and is highly effective as a “stagger card”, disrupting enemy pushes and allowing towers and other defenses more time to deal damage. Additionally, the Knight can function as a mini-tank, supporting offensive win conditions and creating dual-layered threats that pressure opponents.
The Knight pairs well with various cards to enhance its effectiveness. When combined with Ice Spirit or Skeletons, it can handle high-damage threats like Elite Barbarians and Minion Horde efficiently. Pairing it with Goblins or Bats creates a sturdier defense that counters a wider range of enemies. It also synergizes effectively with ranged damage dealers such as Archers and Electro Wizard, acting as a reliable tank to protect these fragile units.
While the Knight offers many strengths, it can be countered by high-damage troops like Lumberjack and Mini P.E.K.K.A., by swarm units like Goblin Gang and Skeleton Army, or by using defensive buildings such as Tesla and Cannon to distract and eliminate it.
The introduction of the Knight Evolution in Season 50 boosted its defensive capabilities, increasing its effective HP while moving due to a damage reduction. This made the Evolved Knight a significant force on the battlefield, leading to debates about its power, especially following a hit speed reduction in a balance update. Despite this adjustment, the Evolved Knight remains highly utilized. Some players suggest that stopping its movement reduces its power, making even Skeletons a viable counter, while others point to Fisherman as an effective counter.
Overall, the Knight’s enduring popularity and high usage across various decks highlight its versatility and value in the Clash Royale meta. Whether in its base form or as the Evolved Knight, it continues to be a dependable and cost-effective troop, making it a reliable choice for players of all levels.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q)
Where can I unlock the Knight in Clash Royale?
The Knight is unlocked in the Training Camp, which is the starting arena in the game. As a Common card, it is easily accessible early on and is a staple for many beginner and mid-game decks.
What are the strengths of the Knight?
The Knight’s moderate hitpoints and moderate damage make it a reliable all-around card. It excels at defending against ground-based ranged units like Electro Wizard, Musketeer, and Archers. It can also be a cheap mini-tank that supports win conditions such as Hog Rider or Graveyard. Additionally, the Knight’s spell resistance makes it resilient against spells like Fireball and Lightning, which would normally target squishy troops.
Can the Knight be used in offensive pushes?
Yes, the Knight can be part of offensive pushes, but it is not typically used as a primary win condition due to its slow speed and moderate damage output. It can support win conditions like Hog Rider, Graveyard, or Goblin Barrel by acting as a tank to absorb damage and protect these units from enemy fire.
PrevPreviousClash Royale Gems Guide NextClash Royale Bomber GuideNextAbout the Author
Nel B
Nel has been passionate about playing games since childhood. His love for gaming started with the PlayStation. Over the years, he has enjoyed a variety of games, but some of Nel's all-time favorites include Dota, Monster Hunter, and MMORPGs. Gaming has not only shaped his skills but also helped him build lasting connections with friends. 0 0 votes Rating Login Please login to comment 0 Comments Inline Feedbacks View all comments
